About 400,000 Israeli workers today downed tools as a powerful trade union launched an open-ended strike that stopped international flights and shut down public services.

The Histadrut trade union confederation says thousands of municipal workers it represents have not been paid for months. The government, which says some 600 workers have gone unpaid, blames local authorities for failing to stick to efficiency programmes that would have allowed the salaries to be paid.

The general strike started this morning after marathon talks overnight between union and government officials ended in failure.

Past strikes have lasted for days, each day costing the economy tens of millions of dollars and causing widespread disruption. Travellers are stranded at airports, cargo piles up at seaports and rubbish accumulates on pavements.

In one concession, the Histadrut union said it would open Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv tomorrow for one incoming flight so the England football team could land in time for a crucial Euro 2008 championship qualifier match on Saturday.

But some 4,000 England fans are unlikely to be so lucky, even though they would have brought in much-needed revenues. Israel's tourist industry was hard-hit by mass cancellations during Israel's war against Hizbullah in Lebanon last year.

The Israel Football Association is urging the labour union to consider letting England supporters fly in.

The chairman of the association, Avi Luzon, said: "We are asking [the union] not to ruin the whole party that is planned here so that we will not be perceived as a third world country."

But the head of the union, Ofer Eini, has said there will be no exceptions to the embargo. "It is more important to worry about a worker who has not been paid for half a year than for those fans who want to come and enjoy a game," he said.